Jay Wortman

Jay David Wortman, 71, of Anamosa, Iowa, and the world, died Jan. 30, 2019, at Western Homes Deery Nursing Center, Cedar Falls, following a brief battle with cancer. Jay grew up in Anamosa until moving with his parents to Cedar Rapids in 1965. After graduating from Prairie High School in 1966, Jay earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa. He spent three years in the Army, stationed in Hawaii during the Vietnam War era. After his military service, Jay earned a master's degree from the University of Iowa in mathematics/computer science. A lifelong world wanderer, Jay lived in Paris, France, for much of his adult life, serving as an IT consultant to major businesses throughout Europe. He later moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he continued his IT consultancy. In 2009, Jay retired to Anamosa for several years, re-establishing contacts with his school classmates and other friends in the Anamosa area. Jay was a 50-plus-year member of the Masonic Lodge in Anamosa. While living in France, Jay became an avid devotee of meditation. He spent several months of each year at the Panditarama Lumbini International Vipassana Meditation Center in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha. Several years ago, Jay began living in New Delhi, India, during the periods when not in Nepal. After becoming ill, he returned to the U.S. in early January 2019. Jay is survived by his brother, Warren Wortman of Delhi; and his sister, Beth Wortman, of Forest, Va. He also is survived by his nephew and his nephew's wife, Doug and KC Wortman of Anamosa; and his nieces and their husbands, Julia and Kent Davis of Cedar Falls, Shari and Kelly O'Malley of Ely and Kathleen and Rahim Abbasi of Portland, Ore. Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Max and Louise Wortman of Anamosa and Cedar Rapids. A celebration of Jay's life will be held in Anamosa in June 2019 in conjunction with the family's celebration of the 100th birthday of his late mother, Louise Wortman.